mandolin-george » Past

India and The Incredible String Band

George — Wed, 21 Sep 2011 11:53:29 +0000

I was pleased to discover that someone from India was the 200th unique visitor. It reminds of the day I stood in the music shop in the newtown of Edinburgh pondering whether to buy a small compact sitar once owned by the Incredible String Band – a psychedelic folk group formed in Scotland in 1966. A “difficult-to swallow” sound for the folk revival diehards! The record below is “The Painting Box” released in 1967 – you can hear it on the album “The 5000 Spirits or the layers of the onion (2006) – remastered version.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Incredible_String_Band

The sitar was selling for £45 which was a lot of money in these days, and besides my attention was drawn to a beautiful and unusual (German I think) 16 stringed mandolin ! Four courses of quadruple sonic heaven or a tortuous task of terrible tuning – depending on your optimistic/pessimisstic outlook. It had a large mother-of-pearl butterfly on the headstock and the back was bowl shaped with fluted ribs. I have seen a few 12 stringed versions from the continent but this is the only 16 string version I have seen first hand. Pictures exist of unusual 12 and sometimes 16 stringed instruments (see below) - but none as beautiful as this one was.

In the end, finances being what they were..

…………I left with nothing! C’est la vie!

Congratulations Colorado – 100th Visitor

George — Mon, 08 Aug 2011 16:29:34 +0000

Thank you to the 101 unique visitors from 11 Different countries who have visited in the last 2 weeks
I note that there are 17 Flags collected (if you include regional state flags) so far.
First one Brazil – Last one New York – Congratulations to Colorado – the 100th visitor!

Typing this brought back memories of laying in bed on the 37th floor of the Sheraton Hotel in Toronto when the morning news broke of John Denver’s tragic demise on 12 October 1997. I had to fly over Colorado twice that month, on the way to Utah and back to Chicago. The snow was deep and it was “touch-and-go” to make it out of Salt Lake City as most planes were diverted to Denver due to the bad weather. The lyrics of “Rocky Mountain High” were impossible to shake from my head as I gazed down on the magnificent Colorado river and snow covered peaks. Sadly, another artist lost to yet another plane accident!

Bobby and Brains – The Ultimate World Instrument?

George — Sun, 07 Aug 2011 06:30:43 +0000

Bobby McFerrin demonstrates the power of the pentatonic scale, using audience participation, at the event “Notes & Neurons: In Search of the Common Chorus”, from the 2009 World Science Festival, June 12, 2009.

While researching the neuropsychology of music , I came across this video in a series of 5 where
Bobby (Don’t Worry – Be Happy) McFerrin demonstrates his “world instrument” using a pentatonic scale.
This is portable – needs no batteries – strings or tuning up.
Can be used in any culture and is easy to carry on a plane. No more worries about baggage handlers!
Where can I get one?
Is amazon doing a good deal?
The only drawback I can see is cost – transporting all those people around the world!

If you watch the others in the series, you will observe how the neuroscientists manage to reverse the pleasure-inducing dopamine surge in the brains of the audience who seem to light up when Bobby performs

another 2 videos of him improvising with no scientists around is available on the media menu above

Brian Blasts in from the Past

George — Wed, 03 Aug 2011 15:58:43 +0000

What a delight to hear from my friend Brian – the brains behind “FRAGILE”
A Glasgow-based duo playing a variety of instruments and material from a wide range of sources including American, Bluegrass, Scottish Folk, Jug Band, Skiffle, Singer-Songwriter etc
Influenced by such heavyweights as Mungo Jerry, Matt McGinn, Billy Connolly, Iain Mackintosh, Hamish Imlach etc
Brian taught me the subtle art of playing harmonica/kazoo along with guitar while simultaneously kicking an empty guitar case linked to a tambourine. What a sound! – perhaps not beautiful ? – but I liked it !

Thank you Brian
I hope one day in the not-too-distant-future we can create some new material somehow, somewhere – but I was thinking of something a wee bit more exotic than in your “hut”- nice as it may be……….

(see INSTRUMENTS/GUITARS/EKO 12 string - comments for further details)

Cheers

” I’m goin’ up state street – coming down main – ………..”

yes, Brian, I’m still singin’ it – never get tired – other listeners do – but not me!

Thanks for the songs…………and fond memories…..

in addition to the above, -The San Francisco Bay Blues, Goin’ to German, Iowa , Switch off that song, The Tortoise Song – etc - are all still goin’ strong

Edinburgh Mandolin Festival

George — Sun, 31 Jul 2011 20:11:16 +0000

This event is features the EMGO led by Nigel Gatherer http://www.emgo.org.uk/

Nigel (pictured right) also runs a very useful website.

Check it out http://www.nigelgatherer.com/Cheers Nigel – hope you still find time to update your interesting database of bands and performers. Stay in touch.

Cambridge Capers

George — Thu, 03 Mar 2011 17:59:09 +0000

St Patrick’s Day is approaching…….

The usual practice of playing for 12 hours around the City of Cambridge will be followed assisted by an intricately choreographed network of music-friendly (Irish) pubs in the University area.

Hey Ross ! Where is the list, where are we going?………………see you there

(The Venue list will be published here with “target” times in next two days – we will be recording the event to make a CD which will be downloadable here in some shape or form

Last year we included a “St Patrick’s Day” bonus track, recorded in the Earl of Beaconsfield, on our 2010 “Xmas CD” – see Discography

Boogie in Beirut

George — Thu, 03 Mar 2011 17:56:47 +0000

Hoping to attend a charity event at this amazing venue in downtown Beirut – you must check it out !!!

SKY BAR

Two videos – the second is a small treat for all you Snoop Dogg people – he played in Beirut when I was here in 2009

Cohen Croons in Croce

George — Mon, 13 Sep 2010 14:05:26 +0000

What a wonderful surprise to find Leonard Cohen playing in Piazza St. Croce, Firenze on 1 September 2010 – here he is singing a perfect song on a perfect evening on the eve of a perfect day – Hallelujah and greetings to all the young family members who sang this with me in Yahchouch last year !

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dOHqjJZGbHg

Florentine Frolics

George — Mon, 13 Sep 2010 13:01:07 +0000

Thanks to all friends and family who made it to Florence for a memorable experience. After a tour of the mediterranean via Monte Carlo, Valencia, Ibiza, Tunis, Catania, Naples, Livorno and Pisa – I am sad to have to fly back from Milan this evening. However, next stop Beirut and Byblos. Elham – please fix my broken Oud string!

Fabulous Francesco’s Flying Fingers

George — Fri, 06 Aug 2010 21:26:51 +0000

Belissimo Francesco – Grazie Mille – the best I have ever heard

It was a pleasure to improvise with you in the “Guinness Tent” – see you in Sicily – soon

Thanks also to RRRythmik RRRoss – the best Bodhran player on site (ever) believe me !

(sorry about your aching wrists)

here is an example in stereo – kind of – (not francesco)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TQXn5ba0aT8